Neurotoxic protein, or botulinum toxin, is used in cosmetic medicine to treat glabellar lines. It can treat wrinkles, a lazy eye, uncontrolled blinking and facial creases. Using botulinum toxin that has been diluted enables controlled weakness of muscles. This procedure is commonly and commercially known as Botox.
When botulinum is diluted it is far safer, whereas in large doses the protein will cause botulism, which is a rare paralytic illness usually linked to food poisoning.
In addition to the cosmetic use of Botox it is also used in medical procedures to treat writer’s cramp, cervical dystonia, chronic pain, migraine headaches, excessive sweating and even for people with overactive bladders as botox can improve their quality of life.
In some cases, Botox is used for aesthetic purposes, it can also be used to help people with mental illnesses and a study published in the Dermatologic Surgery discovered that treating clinically depressed patients with Botox on the frown lines of their faces actually got rid of their depression.
Botox blocks nerve impulses by relaxing the contraction of muscles. It usually takes two to four days to see any improvements and this works especially well for wrinkles to relax and soften, because the muscles can no longer contract. The effects will tend to last from four to six months.
As wrinkles and lines begin to reappear, most patients will require retreatment however each time you are retreated the wrinkles and lines are less severe as the muscles have been trained to relax.
The procedure does not require you to have anaesthesia and only usually lasts a few minutes. A fine needle is used to inject protein into the muscle and this may only cause slight discomfort if none at all.
You are advised to not take any paracetomol and anti-inflammatory medications two weeks before the procedure is due to take place. Also, a week before you will be instructed not to consume any alcohol, solely for your safety.
Botox side effects are rare and the only common side effect which you are likely to experience is bruising on and around the area treated. This is only temporary and can be reduced by following the instructions of your technician.
